I just don't understand this theory that he is going to be worth 2-3 goals. I've already said that even if it is only a sub conscious thing he will not be committed because he doesn't want to ruin the chances of his "dream move".
Let me put it another way. If you are the opposition manager and you know that Taylor has this at the back of his mind are you going to tell your players to take it easy on him. Or are you going to instruct them to take it in turns to kick lumps out of him? At the very least he will be wound up and potentially sent off. At the worst he will be injured and will miss that move. And he knows that now that he and the club have gone public on this.
It is shocking that he has chosen not to honour his contract. But making him play now really isn't going to improve the situation. And Taylor not putting it in where we have a situation of having no supporters there backing the team will just be counter productive.
I think you're forgetting about the kind of person Lyle Taylor is. I mean, you might be right, I guess we may find out, but to my mind Lyle is never better than when someone's tried to rile him up. He absolutely loves it. He loves when opposition fans start getting on his back and he hasn't played a game if we hasn't got into a running battle with a defender. He doesn't always win and he's almost always worth a booking, but the idea that opposition managers targeting Lyle will bring out anything other than regular Lyle isn't based in any experience we've had with him. I hope they target Lyle. A few kicks to the ankle aren't going to be career-enders, which is the only type of injury he's actually worried about, and without fans to wind him up frankly we need some opposition players to be dickheads to get the best out of our player.
All of that is true. But you are ignoring the fact that Taylor has never played in the knowledge that he has one big move left in him or having already made the decision that he's off. And I would still maintain that this will have an adverse effect on the team. The focus has moved from how are we going to survive to how is Taylor going to play.
Assuming Taylor isn't going to return for the whole of the rest of the season we will still be in a position where we have to find someone to play instead of him and potentially a different way of playing. That person who replaces him will not, by virtue of the lack of match practice, be as match fit and sharp as he will. Equally, Taylor hasn't even been training.
One final thought. How does Bowyer set the team up for Hull this week when he doesn't know whether Taylor is going to play or not?
Well I would suggest that we have. Lyle wasn't offered a suitable payrise after promotion, was told he'd be sold in the summer and in January and then wasn't, and obviously disliked Southall within about 30 seconds of meeting him. Then Southall put some nonsense out in the press claiming Lyle hadn't taken a deal offered. At this point from January onwards you can pretty much guarantee Lyle had heard from teams interested and wasn't planning on sticking around knowing the ownership were a) going to be unable to match an offer and b) dickheads. Despite the fact he would have absolutely known he was off at this point he came back, probably too early, and proceeded to score 6 goals for us, more than anyone else in that time, all while being his usual combative self. I don't think he has any other way of playing. Again, there's no roadmap for the current situation so it's entirely possible we could see a sulky sad Lyle but it wouldn't be based in what we know of him so far.
Also, aside from the fact that we will be rotating the team throughout this ridiculously busy period, saying that we shouldn't play our best striker because it means that the player who replaces him three matches on won't be as match fit is, quite frankly, bonkers. I don't think we'll see a huge amount of benefit in dropping Taylor for Hemed just so Hemed will be sharper for Millwall. To be honest, if we make a bad start without Lyle then it won't make much difference who is and isn't match fit. I imagine at this point Bowyer knows whether or not Lyle is playing.
Here’s a thought. The football community have been told the new season will start say 3-4 weeks after this one finished. Taylor realises he will be a month behind new team mates so has decided to play for us to improve fitness!
If he does play, I wonder if there is a gentleman’s agreement in place that he stops playing once relegation or safety is confirmed
Let’s face it. Taylor is under contract to play until the end of June. He’s effectively gone on strike. He shouldn’t get paid. Should be fined as much as we can and told to stay away from the club unless he wants to play in games. Fuck him.
If the players were unhappy with Lyer and now he's changed his mind he could be in for an even tougher time from his team mates if he plays like a complete melt.
He'd better be bloody sure of himself before commiting to this.
Will I forgive him if he scores and we stay up?? That is a question I'm really struggling to answer...maybe yes but would I forget?? Probably not, because his original selfish decision came at the worst time ever for our club and Bowyer and us fans needed it like a hole in the head.
At least we know that Lee won't accept anything short of 110% but I'd still go with Bonny to start and see how the we do first.
Always thought that Lee was trying to motivate Lyle into playing by going public. Interesting that it appears he has changed his mind. Lee Bowyer just gets how to manage footballers.
I have no fears Lyle will be disruptive in training. In fact just turning up should give everyone a boost.
Its quite easy, play well, help keep us up, get that big move and be the next Pukki/Michu/Grant Holt... Then everyone is happy and you'll be considered a hero at Charlton and very well-respected in the wider football world.
Go on do it. Nothing stopping you, unless you're not good enough
if Taylor does return, I imagine the opposing centre half in his first match back will have a little word in his ear - along the lines of 'I'll break your leg' - inside the first couple of minutes and have Taylor in his pocket for the rest of the match. Having said that, I hope I'm wrong.
I would take a half-fit, half-committed Lyle over some of the shit we have had thrust upon us under RD any day.
Let’s get behind him, for however many games it turns out to be.
Players like him in a CAFC shirt come along very rarely - don’t forget that we would be kicking around the bottom of L1 now if he had gone elsewhere.
We have had amole opportunity to secure his future services. The background antics and cash problems are not his fault.
We gave Nabby a 5 year contract but have not kept hold of LT. Think back to the Curbs days and how he used to secure unproven players on long deals - to our future benefit.
I am grateful for what LT has done and respect his decision one way or the other.
At least he didn’t come running into the boardroom with his hair still wet from the post-match shower to interrupt the manager and ask about a big money move.
if Taylor does return, I imagine the opposing centre half in his first match back will have a little word in his ear - along the lines of 'I'll break your leg' - inside the first couple of minutes and have Taylor in his pocket for the rest of the match. Having said that, I hope I'm wrong.
That’s the type of comment that will motivate Taylor, especially since there’s no fans to wind him up
If Lyle is going to play (I've given up trying to work it out now) then hopefully the abuse he's had from Charlton fans works in a positive way
We've seen how opposition fans get made to regret any heckling he gets during games
I don't think any stick given for refusing to honour the contract was unwarranted. In his statements, he said he saw why people would be angry.
I think if he does play, even just the 3 games, then he wouldn't be due any critisicm, all things considered.
Not my bag but tweeters and instas should definitely let him know it is appreciated in the meantime. Why hold him responsible for what he might have done rather than what he actually does?
Great, let's all dance around Taylor for a few weeks then let him slink off days before the Millwall game so we have to throw a new strike pairing together.
Yes he could score a few goals to help us stay up before he leaves, he's a good player but I hope Bowyer benches him
Taylor has created a rod for his back whatever he does now
If he comes back and plays the 3 games in June, and say misses a crucial penalty or even worse gets sent off, there will be a massive media story about it
Solly can dust himself off now to cut the half time oranges
I can just see it now - “Charlton defender Lewis Page has been ruled out for the season after Chris Solly mistook his hand for an orange and cut it off”
Comments
maybe its best if you just left Taylor.
Relegation will cost millions so there's the start point.
He needs to grow up.
He'd better be bloody sure of himself before commiting to this.
Will I forgive him if he scores and we stay up?? That is a question I'm really struggling to answer...maybe yes but would I forget?? Probably not, because his original selfish decision came at the worst time ever for our club and Bowyer and us fans needed it like a hole in the head.
At least we know that Lee won't accept anything short of 110% but I'd still go with Bonny to start and see how the we do first.
Might do more harm than good.
I have no fears Lyle will be disruptive in training. In fact just turning up should give everyone a boost.
Its quite easy, play well, help keep us up, get that big move and be the next Pukki/Michu/Grant Holt... Then everyone is happy and you'll be considered a hero at Charlton and very well-respected in the wider football world.
Go on do it. Nothing stopping you, unless you're not good enough
We've seen how opposition fans get made to regret any heckling he gets during games
Having said that, I hope I'm wrong.
I think if he does play, even just the 3 games, then he wouldn't be due any critisicm, all things considered.
Not my bag but tweeters and instas should definitely let him know it is appreciated in the meantime. Why hold him responsible for what he might have done rather than what he actually does?
Yes he could score a few goals to help us stay up before he leaves, he's a good player but I hope Bowyer benches him
If he comes back and plays the 3 games in June, and say misses a crucial penalty or even worse gets sent off, there will be a massive media story about it